Dear Members and Friends,
This week’s global affairs have been overshadowed by the riots and storming of Capitol Hill by US President Donald Trump’s supporters with some calls for his removal from office. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined other world leaders in condemning what has been viewed as an attack on democracy. The world will be watching to see how President Elect Joe Biden will manage to bring together such a divided country.
Closer to home, the lockdown and the increasing Covid-19 infections have meant that the economic pressures continue and business recovery continues to be hampered. We join others in commending the great work being done by the NHS and other key service providers. With increasing roll out of the vaccination, there is light at the end of the tunnel and we can look forward to a resumption of a “new kind of normal” in the coming months.
At BEI we spent the week preparing for an exciting programme of events and activities in 2021, which will be aimed at supporting our members as they explore, assess and pursue global business opportunities and export British expertise internationally. As always we welcome your suggestions for themes, topics and potential speakers.
Among the many planned events, we will be looking at hosting a series of events around climate change and the race to net zero as the UK government prepares to host COP26 later in the Year. We will also be looking forward enhanced engagement with the newly formed Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as they look to deliver the Global Britain agenda and reinforce the UK’s global position as a force for good through foreign policy, trade and development.
We are delighted to share with you our 2020 Yearbook highlighting the value that BEI and our sister companies delivered to our members and networks through a very wide range of events and activities.
Next Week at BEI…
Join us for our first event of the year, on 13th January, on Rebooting Global Trade post-Covid. Our speakers Andrew Mitchell CMG, Director General, Markets & Supply Chains at the Department for International Trade and Alan Carter, Assistant Director, International Relations and Capacity Building Team at HMRC, will discuss the role their departments play in supporting business. UK organisations offer a range of exceptional solutions to governments to help get trade moving, facilitate market access, increase tax revenue, eliminate illicit trade & excise tax losses, and more — and two of our member organisations, De La Rue and Intertek, will join the panel to share case studies and best practice in their areas of expertise.
Also, on 13th January, we have a panel discussion on Diversity and Inclusion in the Infrastructure Sector. The UK infrastructure sector employs a significant number of people both nationally and across the globe and effective growth will require diversity and inclusion in its workforce. We will be hearing from a panel of speakers from diverse backgrounds as they share their stories about their experiences and career progression in the infrastructure sector — and exploring actions the sector can take to promote D&I.
Future Event Highlights…
On 19th January, join us for an event on the Future of Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The country’s programme of economic diversification presents an exciting opportunity for UK companies in the infrastructure sector. Expanding the country’s physical and digital infrastructure is a core component of the Saudi Vision 2030, a process in which UK expertise could play a significant role.
On 20th January, British Ambassador to Kuwait, HE Michael Davenport and the Trade team will discuss and share insights on the benefits of Doing Business in Kuwait. This event will offer opportunities for participants to learn more about the opportunities Kuwait offer UK business as well as provide current political and economic update. Key industries include infrastructure, energy, and food processing.
On 26th January, we look forward to hosting the World Bank Group as they present their flagship semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report examining global economic developments, with a special focus on emerging markets and developing economies.
Remember to join our LinkedIn Group!
We are more active than ever on the BEI LinkedIn Group, where we share insights, highlight upcoming events and showcase our members’ latest news and thought leadership. Join the group here.
Visit our Member News & Resources
Our new website is helping us showcase the latest news from both BEI and our membership. Visit the Member News section to read the latest takeaways from our events and the latest updates from our members.
Recruitment Board
Take advantage of the new Job Board on our website to post your organisation’s vacancies, currently this facility is available for free.
With Best Wishes
Derrick
Derrick Sanyahumbi
Chief Executive Officer
British Expertise International
